parent-teacher communication & collaboration
TRANSCRIPT
Parent-Teacher
Communication &
Collaboration
Maria L. Nahmias, Ph.D.
Copyright 2012
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
5 Human Qualities that
Enhance Communication
Being Caring
Being Respectful
Being Empathetic
Being Congruent
Being Open
West, Idol, Cannon, 1999
Example of Being Caring for
Communication
Being Caring Situation: Teachers
pass in hall. Special
educator asks how
a student is doing in
teacher’s sixth
grade science class. West, Idol & Cannon, 1999
Example of Being Respectful Mrs. C, a new
teacher, is teaching
in a school where
many are veteran
teachers in this
school. Although
she’s used to first
names, she begins
addressing teachers
by full names and
titles in the lounge.
Being Empathic Example Critical thinking
skills are infused in
a school, with
teachers from
various grades,
specialists on a
committee. The
team understands
the team leader’s
goals although
ideas may differ.
Being Congruent A Program
Coordinator
suggests that a
teacher build a
cooperative reading
tutor program with
another teacher.
They agree to “give
it a try.”
Example of Being Open A student with a
disability’s parents
have requested that
she fully participate
in her seventh
grade class for
content learning.
The specialists and
earth sciences
teachers team to
make this work.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Active Listening
Accepting, Caring
Reflective Listening
Focus
Teaching Students Who are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk in the General Education Classroom, 5e Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm - ISBN 0137151829
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 3-9
Six Factors of Successful
Partnerships
Communication
Commitment
Equality
Skills
Trust
Respect
Collaboration : A Definition
“an interactive process that enables teams of
people with diverse expertise to generate
creative solutions to mutually defined
problems. The outcome is…solutions…
Collaborative consultation is to
provide…programs for students with
special needs within the most appropriate
context…”
Collaborating is…
“Collaborating is assisting or cooperating
with. … Communication, cooperating, and
coordination are vital aspects of the
collaborative process.”
Dettmer, Thurston, & Dyck (1993)
Collaborative Teaming Definitions and Rationale
PROCESS
SOLUTIONS
SPECIAL NEEDS
MOST APPROPRIATE CONTEXT
SOLUTION
“Solution
literally means
becoming liquid
enough to
dissolve the
particles making
up the problem.”
History of Collaboration
The Medical Model: Consultation
The Triadic Model: Consultation
Interactive Models: Collaborative
Consultation
Collaborative Teaming
Trans-disciplinary Teaming
WHY COLLABORATE ?
WHY COLLABORATE ? Share Ideas & Goals, Create new Ideas
Accomplish More
Organization, Coordination
Law provides for it: Interdisciplinary Team
Group plans; evaluate progress
Teachers share curriculum & work together
Moral Support and Mentoring; share concerns
More information on child; other perspectives
Clarify realistic goals; Evaluate team & students
Collaboration Outcomes
Individuals Value Collaborative Approaches to Work and Education
• Austin (2001) Teachers’ beliefs about…
Professionals Who Collaborate Develop Trust *
• Raider-Roth (2005) Trusting What You Know
A Sense of Community Evolves • Drame (2002) Sociocultural context effects on
teachers
WHEN DO WE
COLLABORATE ? Co-Planning & Co-Teaching
Assessment / Evaluation
RTI (Responsiveness to Intervention)
IEP Meetings/ Interdisciplinary Teams
Teacher Assistance Teams
Committees
Parent Conferences
Integration of Students in Social Settings
Inclusion
Teaching Students Who are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk in the General Education Classroom, 5e Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm - ISBN 0137151829
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 3-19
Parent Conference Considerations
Good Ideas for Successful Teacher – Parent Conferences:
Welcome parents and make them feel comfortable.
Review the agenda; ask parents for other items to discuss.
Begin and end with positives about the child.
Don’t use technical language that parents may not know.
Communicate concerns in a straightforward and sensitive manner.
Solicit parent reactions and recommendations to address any concerns.
Summarize any decisions or plan made at the end of the conference.
Set a target date for follow-up.
Collaborating with Students
Villa, Thousand, Nevin (2010). Collaborating with
Students in Instruction and Decision Making: The
Untapped Resource. Thousand Oaks: Corwin
Press.
Student Collaboration & Advocacy
Cooperative Learning
Peer Tutors
Co-Teachers
How Do We View
Collaboration?
General Educators Special Educators
Continuum of Services General Education
Classroom-Inclusion
Special Education :
Co-Teacher-Aide
Resource Room
Special Education Classroom
Special School
General Education
Perspectives
Content Knowledge Valued
Curriculum Objectives & Sequence
Curriculum Materials Available
Content Resources Support
Community Learning Environment
Salient Factors for Classroom
Teachers Proactive
Responsibility
Multidimensionality
Simultaneity
Unpredictability
Immediacy
History Kathy Carter
Salient Aspects of General
Education Environments
High Student: Teacher Ratio
Diversity of Students, Number of Students
Accountability & Grade Teams
Cooperative Learning, Multi-Level Groups
Special Education Perspectives
Focus on individuals’ learning
Learning styles
Knowledge of disabilities & talents
Adaptation of curriculum
Modifications to learning environment
Legal guidelines & paperwork (IEP’s)
Motivational & reward systems
Salient Factors for Special
Educators Multiplicity of
Roles
Time and Space
Limited, Changing
Cognitive Complexities
Children, Teams
Flexibility
Shared Responsibilities
Salient Features of Special
Education Environments
Student : Teacher Ratio lower
Direct Instruction Time
Perceptions of Special Education differ
Accountability and Shared Responsibility
Communication & Collaboration Skills
Parent Roles and Meetings Frequent
Resources may / may not be available
Characteristics of Special
Education in US Schools
Teacher Support or Assistance Teams
Pre-Referral Interventions (RTI, TAT)
Communications with Teachers and other
Staff and Parents
Direct Instruction
Accommodations
Paraprofessionals
TEACHER BELIEFS
Beliefs & Behaviors Affect Collaboration
TEACHER BELIEFS
Beliefs
Attitudes
– Goals
– Priorities
Behaviors:
Actions
Participation
BELIEFS
A belief is a personal conviction that
something is true .
In most cases, a person’s actions or
resistance to action comes from beliefs.
Belief Systems develop for all teachers.
Teachers’ Beliefs &
Collaboration Interfering Beliefs
Some Examples:
“I’ve tried everything!”
“Why should I spend
more time with this
child?”
Teachers’ Beliefs and
Collaboration Facilitating Beliefs
Some Examples:
“I can make a
difference.”
“Every child will learn if
we find a way.”
Identifying Beliefs
Listen
Watch
Ask
Observe
Clarifying Beliefs
• Observe
• Ask Questions Observe:
What does the teacher say about a student?
What nonverbal behaviors do you see when they talk?
Ask Questions:
“What do you want the student to do?”
“What have you done to assist this student?”
Responding to Interfering
Beliefs Ignore
Go around them
Try to bring it into the open
Respond to it directly, tactfully
Indirectly provide your input
Match your input to their belief system
Maria Nahmias, PhD.
Defining Characteristics for
Collaboration
Voluntary
Parity
Mutual Goals
Shared Responsibility
Shared Resources
Shared Accountability
Barriers and Facilitators
To Collaboration
Training or Preparation of Professionals
Knowledge
Time to Collaborate
Communication Skills
Facilitators
To Collaboration
• Multicultural Awareness of Team
Members
• Keeping Language Clear
• Time Awareness
Group Activity
Collaboration Problems, Barriers,
and Solutions
Group Activity
Collaboration Problems, Barriers, and Solutions Barriers: Solutions:
Teachers don’t know roles Role descriptions
written /inservice on roles
Time Funds can assist with this: Thurs. Sub Day
Interruptions in Meetings Signs on doors; value highlighted;agendas
Communication Skills Notebook among team members; log in plans
Follow –up
Website Link for each student , password protected, data,communications
Lack of Involvement Parents who love to come in and Share on Units as Guest Parents
Not enough Respect Ground rules on meetings and sharing time uninterrupted
ASPECTS OF TEAM
COMMUNICATION
Commitment to Common Goals
Process of Team Building
Individuality of Team Members
Role Release and Role Transitions
Competencies and Experiences of Team Members
Villa’s 4 Personality Types
Optimists
Pessimists
Confused
Angry
Group Activity INDIVIDUALITY OF
TEAM MEMBERS
Novice / Experienced
Pre-service Teacher/ Mentor Teacher
Team Members’ Roles and
Variables
Pre-Service Teachers
More observational role; slowly take on more students & planning; may be more willing to adapt to individual students’ ,curriculum needs;similar to novice teachers;depend son mentor \teachers’ demeanor/perspective; inequality; an active role, but supervised by experienced teacher;enthusiasm, idealism
Experienced Teachers
Leaders, Mentors; know resources. May have more roles.May be a a go-to person, with resources and experiences. May be set in their ways and less willing to change or adapt. May be territorial.
Team Members’ Roles and
Variables
Novice Teachers
New ideas; more creative perhaps in lesson plans;may be open minded in preparing lessons;more disability-aware & adaptive. Expected to do more in some schools;new teachers might want to take more on to gain respect and tenure. Will meet both mentors and nemesies.
Team Members’ Roles and
Variables
Experienced Teachers
Leaders, Mentors; know resources. May
have more roles.May be a a go-to person,
with resources and experiences. May be set
in their ways and less willing to change or
adapt. May be territorial.
ROLE PLAYS
COMMUNICATION
WITH TEACHERS
Co-Teaching
Collaborative Planning,
Teaching and Evaluation for
Students
SERP Dr. Nahmias
Co Teaching Defined
When two or more educators in
the same environment share
responsibility for students’
planning, teaching, learning and
evaluation.
5 Co –Teaching Styles
1. Supportive
2. Stations
3. Parallel
4. Complementary
5. Team Teaching
Questions for Video and
Discussion
1. What are the benefits of the Parallel vs. Supportive Co-Teaching model?
2. What is Complementary Co-Teaching?
3. What are the benefits to students of Team Teaching?
What Teachers Need
To Succeed in Co-Teaching
Preparation Knowledge
Skills
Support
Administrators, Colleagues
Experience
Responsibility
Elements of Collaborative
Teaching
Shared Planning & Teaching
Evaluation of Students Collaborative
Classroom Management Plans Shared
Student Supervision and Communication
Team communication and problem solving
Responses to Change and Social Needs
Professional Growth
Parent –Teacher
Communication
Discussion of Parents’ Visit
Parent -Teacher Role Plays
Pilot Parents
Parent Connection
Teacher and Parent Roles in Meetings
ROLE PLAYS
COMMUNICATION
WITH PARENTS
Parents and Teachers
Roles, Goals and Hopes
Human Qualities
That Enhance Communication
Be Caring
Be Respectful
Be Empathetic
Be Congruent
Be Open
Be Honest
Adapted from West, Idol and Cannon, 1989
Communication Skills
Verbal
Non Verbal
Listening
Interaction
Quotations to Discuss
“If you can’t help the parents,
You can’t help the child.”
“ If you don’t help the parent, you
don’t help the child.”
Why We’re Teachers
What are your
reasons for being
an educator ?
Reasons:
Explicit / Conscious
Implicit / Unconscious
Examples of Why We Become
Educators
To be like another – Parent, mentor, teacher
Wish to do good work in life
Special experiences
Special interests developed early
Special Siblings
Teachers and Paraeducators
Roles
Responsibilities
Communication
Collaboration
Co-Teaching
Assessment Assistance
Family and Classroom
Coordination
Collaboration:
Roles for Paraeducators
Paraeducators as a Partner
Paraeducators Co-Teach
Paraeducators Assist
Paraeducators Take Student Data
Paraeducators as Inclusion Specialists
Paraeducators as Paperwork IEP Participant
Preparing Paraeducators
Skills Needed
Professionalism
Special Education
strategies and methods
Behavioral techniques
Communication Skills
Collaboration with
Teachers
Approaches for Teachers
Weekly Meetings
Daily Meetings
Posted Rules and Roles
Lesson Plans
Modeling and Mentoring
Para Educator Role Play
Clarifying Roles:
Page 301 Textbook
Application 10.2
Jane is a para-educator
assigned to Martin,
teacher of students with
behavioral disorders.
When he’s off task what
is the para-educators’
role? Teachers’ Role?
Common Problems with
Paraeducators
Attendance
Behavioral Consistency
Time for Collaboration & Communication
Personalities and Students
Small Group Activity:
Paraeducators
1. A paraprofessional works with a small
group of students in the hallway every day.
Students from nearby classes walk by and
make jokes and comments. Paraprofessional
tells students to stop talking and/ or she’ll
tell the principal of school rules violation.
Page 303Text 10.3
Small Group Discussion:
Paraprofessionals and Teachers
2. Special education teacher set up a behavioral
management plan for all students in the class and
has instructed the paraprofessional to give student
a token every 10 minutes if he/she is working
independently at that time. Para does not favor
giving rewards for minimum participation so
decides to give tokens only if student
demonstrates her criteria for “good behavior for
the entire 10 minutes.”
Page 303 Text Application 10.3
School Community Relations
Identify and Meet members of your team
Familiarize yourself with school’s referral
and pre-referral processes
Build relationships with community liasons
at your school
Be aware of cultural and administrative
factors at your school
What You Can Do In Your
School
Participate in Child Study Team
Increase your visibility
Co-Sponsor a club or sports team
Create opportunities for students with
special needs to display their talents and
achievements
Be a part of professional development staff
ROLE PLAYS
Behavior
Administrative Support & Negotiations
School Psychologists
Negotiating with
Administrators Set a meeting
Write up your brief plan / concerns / ideas
Meet with them on time
Keep it brief
Follow up by handing them written ideas
Thank them!
What Makes a Good
Administrator? Nice, sets tone
Supportive
Inviting to Teachers
Problem solver
Promotes
collaboration
Experienced
Voice, Collaboration and
Inclusion Skyrtic, Sailor, Gee (1996) NCLB:
http://www.ade.az.gov/asd/nclb/ (2012)
Constructivism: What is it?
How does school reform relate to special
education and general education at this time
of NCLB and IDEA 2004?
How is inclusive education a political
concept?
What’s your role as a teacher in schools?
Discussion of Reading
Buswell and Schaffner Families as Creative and Resourceful
Collaborators in Inclusive Schooling (2002)
Parents Advocate for their student
Families of students with disabilities have strengths to bring to education:
Culture, Experience, Community Resources, IEP input, and Change~
Successful Schools for All
Students References:
Friend, M. and Pope, K. (2005). Creating schools in which all students can succeed. Kappa Delta Pi Record. 56-61.
Obiakor,F.,Utley,C. etal. (2002). The comprehensive support model for culturally diverse exceptional learners: Intervention in an age of change. Intervention in School and Clinic, 38, 1, 14-27.
Villa, R., Thousand, J. and Nevin, A. (2010). Collaborating with students in instruction and decision making. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
